A Warm Welcome to Owners of Characterful and Historic Cottages

Let’s Talk About the Best Way to Let Your Cottage to Holiday Guests

You’ve spent years caring for your cottage — restoring timber beams, limewashing walls, preserving character, choosing materials and colours that feel right, and maybe even learning things about old buildings you never expected to know. We love historic cottages for the same reasons you do: the way they feel, smell, settle into their countryside setting, and tell stories of the past. And over the years we’ve learned a great deal about letting a historic cottage in a way that protects its character while still welcoming the right holiday guests.

At The Grove Cottages, we do things a little differently to most agencies. We don’t chase volume. We don’t list hundreds of properties and hope some get seen. We’re a boutique holiday cottage agency, and everything we do — from marketing to guest selection, photography to bookings — is rooted in a genuine appreciation for characterful homes.

Rather than asking you to choose us based on a long list of services, we prefer owners to understand how we think and why we work this way — it means we end up with long-term partnerships rather than short-term contracts.

Why a Specialist Agency Matters When Letting a Historic Cottage

Your cottage deserves to stand apart — not disappear among hundreds of generic listings.

Because we specialise, we attract guests who are already looking for places like yours. They come to us for beams, brick floors, open fires and history. Often they book one cottage, enjoy the experience, and then come back to try others — because they’ve found a trusted collection of the kind of cottages they truly enjoy.

Over time, this has grown into a newsletter readership of around 25,000 loyal guests who love hearing about new cottages, quiet offers and seasonal inspiration. When a new property joins us, it doesn’t simply “go on a website” — it is introduced to an audience that values it.

We don’t just list cottages. We:

• present each one thoughtfully

• photograph with warmth and atmosphere

• write descriptions that celebrate history and craftsmanship

• market to guests who already love heritage settings

• stay personally involved in every conversation with owners and guests

Where appropriate, we may also extend your reach via carefully chosen outside platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO etc— always with sensitivity to your cottage’s identity.

(You may also like to read: Why Heritage Cottages Choose The Grove Cottages)

A Specialist Community — Not Just an Agency

The Grove Cottages didn’t start life on a spreadsheet. It grew gradually from me restoring and running the six cottages at The Grove, and discovering for myself what it really takes to care for quirky old houses while welcoming guests into them.

Along the way, I learned the value of reclaimed materials — hours spent in reclamation yards finding the right bricks, tiles and floorboards. I discovered the quiet magic of lime products: plasters that let cottages breathe, limewash that protects timbers, mortars that move gently rather than crack. Much of this knowledge came through friendships with specialist builders, thatchers, carpenters, drainage experts and craftsmen whose skills are rooted in tradition.

That experience now shapes how we support our owners.

We see our relationship as a partnership:
you bring stewardship, care and history — we bring storytelling, thoughtful marketing and an audience who truly appreciates cottages like yours. Together, the aim is simple:

to help your cottage flourish, stay authentic, and be loved by the right guests.

What It’s Like Working With The Grove Cottages

• Friendly, straightforward conversations — never call centres

• Guests chosen for appreciation, not just convenience

• A curated collection, not a mass-market catalogue

• Clear commission, no start-up fees, no surprises

• Guidance informed by real experience with old houses

• Calm, long-term working relationships

We are happiest when owners feel supported, understood, and confident that their cottage is being presented with respect.

Are We the Right Fit for Each Other?

We don’t take every property — and most owners appreciate that.
Cottages that sit naturally in our collection tend to:

• have genuine character, atmosphere or history

• be lovingly maintained and thoughtfully restored

• offer guests something memorable and different

• complement the feel of the cottages we already represent

If this sounds like your place, there is every chance we will work very comfortably together.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is it difficult to let a historic or listed cottage?
Not if it’s handled sympathetically. The key is attracting guests who understand older buildings and marketing the cottage in a way that respects its history.

Do big agencies work well for heritage cottages?
Sometimes — but many struggle to present older properties properly. A specialist agency understands the quirks, materials and expectations involved.

Can letting a historic cottage damage it?
It can, if rushed or handled casually. With the right guests, careful guidance and respectful marketing, letting can actually support the ongoing care and maintenance of the building.

Let’s Have an Informal Chat

Often the best place to start is simply a conversation — about your cottage, your hopes, your concerns, and whether our approach feels like the right match.

Mark — The Grove Cottages
📞 01787 211 115
📧 [email protected]

We’d be delighted to hear about your cottage — and to see whether it might belong in our small family of much-loved places.